The UK government has announced a new wave of funding to help regulators cut unnecessary red tape and speed up access to emerging technologies, particularly in healthcare, transport, and energy
This latest round of the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund (RPF), worth £5.5 million, will support bold new projects to make Britain a world leader in innovation.
Backing innovation through smarter regulation
The RPF enables regulators and local authorities to test more efficient ways of working to bring new products and services to market faster without compromising safety or public confidence.
By making regulations more adaptive and streamlined, this fund supports the government’s wider Plan for Change, which focuses on economic growth and better public services through innovation.
Now in its fourth round, the fund builds on the success of 24 previous projects that tackled regulatory hurdles in vital sectors such as healthcare, aviation, and clean energy. Past funding has led to promising advancements, including using drones for emergency medical deliveries and synthetic data in clinical trials.
Faster medical trials and more innovative drone use
One of the successful projects from earlier rounds took place in Milton Keynes, where drones were tested for urgent medical deliveries and environmental monitoring.
These trials helped reduce response times and emissions and laid the foundation for a future nationwide drone delivery network, estimated to be worth up to £45 billion by 2030.
Another major project involved the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which explored using synthetic data, specifically computer-generated “control arms”, in clinical trials.
This approach could cut trial times and costs, making it easier to bring new treatments to patients sooner while maintaining high standards of safety and effectiveness.
Opportunities in growth sectors
The fourth round of funding is now open to regulators and local authorities across the UK. The focus will be on high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence in healthcare, engineered biology, autonomous vehicles, and space technology.
New projects might include innovations like smarter ways to test medical treatments, improved airspace management for drones, or updated rules to support lab-grown foods.
All funded projects will receive personalised guidance from the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), which plays a key role in helping regulators trial new methods while ensuring public safety and transparency.
Driving economic growth and public benefit
By making the regulatory environment better and innovation-friendly, the RPF helps businesses bring breakthrough technologies to market more quickly. This has the benefit of boosting the economy while improving services for the public.
From zero-emission hydrogen-powered flights to AI tools that help doctors detect diseases earlier, the projects supported by the RPF are reshaping how public services are delivered.
